Break
by Octavia Brown
Summary: In which Nanao gets what she's always wanted.


_I was procrastinating when I had a ShunsuiXNanao story pop in. However, this is what came out instead. I have no idea what happens next and therefore I'm not planning on continuing this story. I think the possibilities for ShuNan are pretty good but many stories have him be a big ole harassing creep and/or a huge idiot. So I decided to give Nanao something (canonically!) she's always wanted..._

_Note - I don't know how many people are actually in Squad Eight so I made up a figure. Also note - I don't own Bleach. But I do like reviews._

It was her mid-afternoon tea break and Nanao had stepped out onto the second floor veranda with a mug of delicate white tea in hand. She leaned on the veranda railing and looked down on the cherry trees below without any particular focus. It was a pretty sight that demanded nothing from her and right now she sought out any opportunity to be free of the need to think. She desperately wished she could be a cherry blossom, with no determination of her own, the wind's own thing. She would be free because she would truly not care about where she went or what happened to her.

The relaxation burned away when she heard footsteps and recognized a certain reiatsu. Her jaw set and a nerve in her forehead throbbed before her Captain even had a chance to poke his head out the door. If he apologized one more time...

She turned just as her captain stepped on to the veranda. "Ah, there you are, my Nanao-chan. I've been looking all over for you."

"I always take my break at this time, sir, and I usually always come here."

"Well not every day!" Kyouraku pouted.

"The only days I do not are when I am away on a mission or the weather is too unpleasant."

"Well anyway, I've found you, Nano-chan." His habitually sleepy face took on a half smile that assumed she should be happy too.

Nanao stifled a sigh and turned back to the cherry trees. "Very well, Captain, so you have." He had already apologized four times and when he looked like he was going to say it again she threatened him with her big book. He at least understood that he had screwed up even if he had no idea how to make things better. Rangiku had been MIA all day. "Sir, is there something urgent that requires I end my break early?"

"Ah! No, of course not! My Nanao-chan so rarely takes her ease that I would destroy anyone or anything that would take her from it." An arm flung out from under the ridiculous pink haori and a fist demonstrated the Captain's resolve.

Nanao gritted her teeth. She had no doubt her eyes were flinty, a look that caused most shinigami to leave off all frivolity in an instant. However, she was well aware that her Captain was not only immune to such a look, he seemed to never notice it. Just like he never noticed how he always ended her so-called ease. "Then why were you looking for me?"

Her Captain focused on her again and away from imagined foes to her respite. "I came to ask you a question."

His serious tone startled Nanao a little. His apologies had been so extreme, all but throwing himself at her feet, this was so different it was hard to remember that it was the same day. But, she reminded herself mercilessly, it had just been last night. The very late night call to get her loud, drunk Captain off the street. The hooting and hollering from the others who were with him. Rangiku shoving her at him... that... that... Nanao's lips settled in a line. "I accepted your apology the first time, I won't-"

"No that's not it. Not exactly." Kyouraku stood at an angle to Nanao, just a little beyond arm's reach. "I just want to know" had his voice just shaken a little? "if you are thinking of transferring from Squad Eight." He seemed to stand tall and straight. "I think I can understand if you did. Though naturally I hope you don't."

The thought had crossed her mind more than once this morning. Nanao sipped from her tea, it made her seem far calmer than she felt. They had been laughing at her, the other lieutenants. The idea of a transfer still held a lot of allure. However she had come to the conclusion that there wasn't anywhere far enough but still inside the Thirteen Court Guard Squads that she could go to get away from the embarrassment of Shunsui Kyouraku's "interest."

She had decided the only thing for it was to hold her head high and carry on. Really, it was the same response she always came to. She heaved a sigh. Captain Kyouraku was probably going to be insufferable on hearing her answer. "I am not seeking a transfer, sir." She steeled herself against his antics.

A breeze rustling through the cherry trees was the only sound. A dozen blossoms detached from the tree and swirled about on the wind, tumbling and spiraling in the garden.

"So pretty, and so obedient to the wind, aren't they?" Kyouraku was at her side and looking down with her. Nanao hadn't noticed him step up. She was moreover stunned that he said nothing about her choice to stay with the Eighth. She gripped her tea mug to her chest and trained her focus on the flowers.

"Yes, sir." She hoped nothing had given away that those words were her thoughts exactly. "Well then, I should get back to my work."

Kyouraku looked at her sideways. Nanao hitched. She could never decide if he did this to play with her or if he didn't realize her sense of formality prevented her from leaving until he dismissed her. So they routinely hit moments like this where she excused herself but then found she had to hold still because her Captain gave her a look like he was about to say something. To Nanao it was another irritating absurdity of their relationship.

"Will that be all, Captain?"

"Oh I certainly don't have anything else for my Nanao-chan. Now, perhaps if Nanao-chan has something for her Captain...?"

"Other than to request again that you cease calling me that, no." Nanao tried to keep the bristling to a minimum. She was aware that the more she fought him on this the greater his use of (what he thought were) terms of endearment. She fully expected Kyouraku to pout and call her mean or whine about being restricted in how he made his protestations of love and admiration.

Instead he was silent. He was acting so strangely. She looked into Kyouraku's face. He looked back at her with a soft, considering gaze. It was unsettling. She tried to tell herself it was because he was taking his time. Couldn't he ever get on with things?

"Why do you hate it so much when I call you 'Nanao-chan'?"

Nanao was so surprised she couldn't help her eyes going wide or the gulp that preceded speaking. "Uh-well, err, if you really want to know it feels demeaning, sir."

"How so?"

Nanao took a moment to collect herself. The answer to this question was one she had been repeating to herself and to her friends for ages. It shouldn't be so hard to rattle off one more time. But this time her audience... This time she had to make sure she got it right. "Sir, I am Nanao Ise, lieutenant of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. I didn't trip and fall into this position, I got it for my shikai, my ability with kido and my reliability on missions. What's more, I oversee Squad Eight in its daily activities, needs and efforts. The hundred and fifty members in our Squad defer to me, and officers of other Squads respect my rank even if I don't have any authority over them."

Nanao's voice was rising. She tried to bite back her emotion but it was on a roll and there was no way she was going to take any of it back. "I make certain Squad Eight is ready for any task the Head Captain or Central 46 asks of us at any time. I lead training, I organize our material, I integrate recruits and mediate personnel problems, I maintain our archives and keep up our lines of official communication with other Squads.

"Getting called 'Nanao-chan' is like getting patted on the head for reciting the alphabet correctly. Getting called your sweet-little-whatever makes me feel like I'm here for your amusement, like a pet. I- I just-" She was running out of steam. "It's just aggravating that my effort to support you doesn't seem to be noticed for what it is. I mean, it's just..." Her voice trailed off. She was keenly aware that she had raised her voice to her Captain. There was heat on her cheeks. But she refused to look away from Kyouraku's face. It made her unsteady but she was damned if she was going to lose the chance to speak her mind.

Kyouraku was staring at her, eyes open all the way instead of in that half-lidded, nearly asleep manner he had. Nanao wasn't sure if this was a good thing. "It would be awkward to call you Nanao-kun, though I suppose you deserve it."

Nanao was dumbfounded. Was he actually paying attention this time? Why this change all of a sudden?

"You have kept Squad Eight going for decades. You've run it so well I hardly needed to do a thing. Let's face it, you're far better suited at keeping things organized. But you already knew that, ne, Nanao-ch-, eeto, Nanao. But 'Nanao-kun' feels formal. Distant. Everyone in the Seritei knows you are intelligent and diligent. Everyone knows you have tremendous potential." Nanao felt transfixed with Captain Kyouraku looking directly into her eyes. "I had thought you might be tired of hearing of your intellect and know that your beauty hasn't been missed."

"I- I..." Nanao forced herself to look away and swallowed. She felt completely stupid. She never believed Kyouraku when he went on about her looks and now, with her fumbling speech and dull mind, how could she believe he ever thought her smart? She fell back on something she regularly said to Rangiku, "I had to work to know what I know and work even more to use it. Whatever I look like, that's just an accident."

"Ah so that's how you think of it, m-, that is, Nanao-kun. Well, you've certainly earned your position as lieutenant, no one may argue that. Please forgive your silly old Captain his foolish ways, and I hope in time you might not dislike me so much."

Automatically Nanao responded, "I never said I didn't like you." She was a little surprised to hear the words come out of her mouth but she let them be; if he could budge a little so could she. She stared intently into her empty tea mug.

Beside her the Captain leaned against the railing. "Well I'm glad of that. I am glad you will stay. Though Nanao-ch- Nanao-kun makes it difficult to tell what she is thinking."

The distance between them had increased only a tiny amount but Nanao felt a little chilled by it. She shoved away the feeling – he was, after all, listening to what she was saying. It had been minutes since last he made a grandiose gesture on her behalf that she didn't want and the tension to which she had grown accustomed over the years was ebbing away. A small smile came easily to her now. "Right now I'm wondering why Captain Kyouraku is asking me so many questions."

"Ah but to answer that, my—that is, Nanao-kun, I would have to raise a forbidden subject."

She felt the smile slip from her face and pressed her eyes shut for a moment. "Very well, what is it?"

Kyouraku turned to face her. He looked...sad. "I heard others in the squad talking. I suppose I put on a show last night. But worst of all I behaved deplorably to my- that is, to you." He held up his hands to stop her growing ire. "But I've said my piece on that already. (And by the way, I meant every word.) But I heard shinigami ranked far lower talking about someone who holds more power in her toes then they ever would with their whole selves. They had heard a story of some drunken lout pressing himself on her and presumed she would avoid him. They talked about that someone like she might leave her squad; they talked like they knew her better than her Captain."

Nanao had felt herself blushing through his story; although his morose tone also gave her an impulse to reassure him, to comfort him, she kept it to herself. "Well I'm glad you came to ask me about it. The speculation of lower seats hardly makes for solid ground from which to operate."

A smile came back to Nanao and she chanced a look up at his face. The sleepy look had returned, half lidded eyes and a full mouth softened the look of a lean face. _A lean, good looking face_, as Rangiku would have said. Nanao pushed away the thought. "And you do know me, Captain Kyouraku. There is work to be done, and I don't trust anyone else to do it. Though if you stick around I will find a way to get you to help me."

"I can always trust Nanao-kun to be industrious, even if she does blush more than the usual busy bee. Now! Now! Don't be angry that I noticed! Anyway, it was delightful to see you smile; I shan't push my luck. I believe I'll see if Ukitake would like some company." Kyouraku stood up straight and tipped his straw hat to Nanao. "I have always wanted to kiss you, but that wasn't how I wanted to do it." With a flash step he was gone.

Alone on the veranda Nanao hugged herself and allowed a smile so big it took over her face.

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Captain Shunsui Kyouraku made his way to Squad Thirteen barracks. He had excellent news to share with his best friend. He smiled so hard the corners of his mouth hurt.

When the possibility that Shunsui had driven her from the squad manifested itself in his mind he almost went into a panic. Even when she said she would not leave the Eighth he wanted desperately to keep her talking. Without making promises he had asked her to explain her distaste for being called "Nanao-chan" (a perfectly good name for someone who was beautiful and precious as well as capable) and, wonder of wonders, he had seen a Nanao so lit up, so passionate for something, Shunsui was quite taken aback. He reminded himself that it was that fire, her barely-contained energy, that kept his attention on her.

Shunsui was not fool enough to imagine that distaste and attraction could not co-exist; he was certain Nanao both liked him and felt thoroughly aggravated by him. It was to his chagrin that he could never overcome her aggravation to a point where she might admit she liked him.

Ah but then she'd smiled. It was like rays of sunshine peeking through rainclouds. Shunsui wanted to dance in the streets. He restrained himself by remembering that it had only come after he had cooled his own inclinations and even began referring to her as Nanao-kun (adequate for a professional relationship, but certainly not to his taste for someone he actually cared about). He wondered how he could maintain this – a distance that was uncomfortable to him but put her at her ease.

_What you want  
>Baby, I got it<br>What you need  
>You know I've got it<br>All I'm askin'  
>Is for a little respect when you come home (Just a little bit)<br>Hey baby (Just a little bit) __When you get home_

_-"Respect"_

_-words by Otis Redding_


End file.
